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When the stars of New Girl—Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris and Damon Wayans Jr.—gathered for PEOPLE’s photo shoot, their first time on-camera together since the finale, it was clear their comedic chemistry is still very much intact.
MAX GREENFIELD Just…it’s confusing because there’s four of us.
LAMORNE MORRIS Who gets the cover?
DAMON WAYANS JR. I think it’s Sexiest Mens Alive.
GREENFIELD That makes much more sense.
Did you text one another when you heard we wanted to feature you in our Sexiest Man Alive issue?
GREENFIELD Lamorne thought it was just him. Then he showed up today, and he goes, “Oh. You guys are here.”
MORRIS I’m like, “S—, I was hoping y’all be sick.” We will get asked to do certain things from time to time, and it sometimes never aligns. This happened to be something we’re all excited about and honored to be a part of, so we said yes.
New Girl ended six years ago, but it’s more popular than ever. Why does the show still resonate?
GREENFIELD It’s the perfect binge show. Where you have old shows that we grew up with, more traditional sitcoms, they would be on and then they would sort of disappear and they would go in syndication, but you had to find them. But because of Netflix and all these streamers, it’s so easily accessible now that every year there’s new college kids who are spending some weird weekend where they’re like, “I watched all 130 episodes, and now my life has changed.”
MORRIS They don’t be learning s— in school.
GREENFIELD I think that continuously is happening every year with a new base of fans. And especially during the pandemic when I think people were locked in and they latched onto the show and it’s just one of those shows that seems to have taken on a life of its own and I don’t think it’s going anywhere.
You’ve reunited here, but what about an actual reunion, coming back to do the show?
JOHNSON You want the facts? Lamorne won’t do it after his Emmy. He’s got an Emmy clause. That’s real talk. He’s gonna spin it right now but that’s real.
MORRIS I look at it like reparations, what I’m due, you know what I’m saying? Hard work. You know what I’m saying? Now, it’s time to pay the piper.
JOHNSON So Fox was ready, we were ready. Damon was back and [Lamorne] did that speech.
MORRIS A couple more commas, few more zeros. You know what I’m saying? Then, we in business. We’re back in business, baby. No, to be quite honest with you, from day one, I’ve been the one saying that I want it to happen. They don’t even respond in the text when I put it in there.
JOHNSON Here’s the reality. This dude’s an idiot. He spent his entire Emmy campaign dragging me, and then we were laughing. None of us have any power about a reunion. But I think we all would if the right thing came, it’s really fun to be together.
GREENFIELD We get asked so many questions about the show and ‘What about a reunion?’ And none of it is up to us. It’s so much about Liz Meriwether who created the show and what she would do differently and how she would direct the show and if she would want to do a reunion. So I think it’s her decision and how she would want to move forward.
WAYANS I think Liz is very funny and I think if she did bring it back, it would be great.
JOHNSON Yeah, she’d have a smart take on it.
How much are each of your characters like you and not like you?
WAYANS My character’s not like me at all. He’s kind of loud or a little grumpy. I’m not grumpy unless I don’t get my fluids.
MORRIS What?
WAYANS My water. Water and salt, man. Grow up, guys. Water helps hydrate you.
JOHNSON I think we’re all a little bit like ours and different, but together, we are all very much like our characters when we’re around each other.
MORRIS Yeah, it just happens like what Max was saying, we’re around each other for that many hours a day. So it’s almost like when you get around each other, you instantly get back into silliness.
JOHNSON The way we kind of did the show, we all step into that fast.
OHNSON I think we’re all a little bit like ours and different, but together, we are all very much like our characters when we’re around each other.
MORRIS Yeah, it just happens like what Max was saying, we’re around each other for that many hours a day. So it’s almost like when you get around each other, you instantly get back into silliness.
JOHNSON The way we kind of did the show, we all step into that fast.
WAYANS Well, it’s because we had to do so many hours of shooting. We had to find a way to stay entertained and so we just kind of would just do bits with each other the whole time.
JOHNSON And then they would use that in the show, which was fun.
If we were to check in with your characters today, what would, say, Winston be doing?
MORRIS Besides winning an Emmy—which was a glorious day for me, by the way, guys. Winston was a family man. If you watched the last episode, he had a lot of kids, so I think Winston would be just hanging out with the kids.
What about Nick?
JOHNSON Mustache, car dealership. Into sales. Thick mustache. Other than that, same guy.
WAYANS Coach? Bald. Bald and unemployed.
GREENFIELD I think Schmidt just invested in a power washer. He just got one on his own, and he’s power-washing everything right now: back deck, car. Just most surfaces.
What do you consider sexy?
GREENFIELD Black pair of shoes. Kind of dark denim, black collared shirt, short sleeves . . .
WAYANS You’re describing what I have on right now.
GREENFIELD Oh, am I?
WAYANS What’s sexy? Honesty, transparency, a high libido. Kissing, hugging, tugging, loving. Reading a book—but not finishing it. I like that.
JOHNSON Sandwiches. Different condiments. You got mayonnaise, got mustard, you got pickles, you got relish. I love a good cup of chili.
WAYANS Oh, that’s sexy.
JOHNSON If you could give me chili with cheese and onions, I don’t even care how I feel after. I’m going to eat it, but I have a dairy issue. It’s not sexy per se to watch me or be near me, but the taste in my mouth is sexy.
MORRIS Someone who has a spiritual connection to the most high, to the divine. Honestly, when you’re connected to a higher source, you don’t know what’s going on; all you know is connection. Connection. Simultaneous completion.
What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done?
GREENFIELD Protecting the one you’re with. Jake and I just went to Rhode Island, and the flight attendant on the plane offered him dinner, and I checked to make sure there wasn’t any dairy in it. Because he breaks out. [Looks at Jake] I want to make sure you’re okay in this world.
JOHNSON Thanks.
MORRIS I keep my romantic things to myself because that’s personal to me and all the women that I’m romantic with.
WAYANS All the women you’re romantic with?
MORRIS You can’t be romantic with just one. You understand. If it doesn’t work out… I’m single for a reason.
What’s your perfect date night?
JOHNSON When the wife and the kids and I are all together at home having fun. There’s no devices, that feels fun.
MORRIS A perfect date night for me is simple. It’s bowling, maybe some scotch, maybe we walk and talk and we just get to know each other. Because I’m really good at it, so I win. And I know that if I win and she hates me, at some point, at least I got a win that day.
JOHNSON So that’s what you like to do on the first date, beat them at a sport?
MORRIS Yeah. I take a picture of the screen or the score and text her over and over again. Especially if we don’t go out again.
WAYANS [My wife and I] lie in bed, turn off all the lights, and then we just roast the s— out of our kids up to the point where we’re laughing so hard. We roast each kid individually.
MORRIS My kid has yet to meet anyone I’ve been seeing or talking to, so…
WAYANS So where do you put your kid when girls come over?
MORRIS They don’t. Nobody comes over. Guys, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m pretty lonely.
WAYANS Your house is big too.
MORRIS I know. It is a lot of echoes. Echoes of all my exes in the past.
WAYANS Wow, man. Girls are gonna love this.
Photographer: Sami Drasin
Cinematographers: Ted Newsome
Hair (Lamorne): Robert C. Mathews III
Makeup (Lamorne): Michelle deMilt
Groomer (Max): Robin Glaser / The Rex Agency
Groomer (Jake & Damon): Marcela Osegueda / Celestine Agency
Barber (Damon): George A Jonson
Stylist: Lisa Cera
Prop Stylist: Wanted PD
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